US Military: The Russians Would Be in Kiev Within 3 Days of Commencing Operations

Pentagon told White House and lawmakers

Jacqui Heinrich 

Editor’s note: in 2014 the Italian PM Matteo Renzi claimed that Putin had told EU head José Manuel Barroso that he could be in Kiev in two weeks if he wanted to. The US military believes the real number is 3 days.

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In closed door briefings in the House and Senate last week, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. Mark Milley told lawmakers Kiev could fall within 72 hours, at a cost of 4,000 Russian troop deaths and 15,000 Ukrainian troop deaths, multiple congressional sources say.

Biden administration cabinet members present for the briefings included Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo, Deputy Commerce Secretary Don Graves, and USAID Deputy Administrator Ambassador Isobel Coleman.

Lawmakers expressed concern the Biden administration did not act quickly enough to supply Ukraine with significant military aid – like anti-aircraft and multiple rocket launcher systems – to defend against an imminent invasion.

Briefers expressed the administration’s position: concern that supplying significant defensive aid prior to an invasion might provide Russian President Vladimir Putin with an excuse to move in, citing Western aggression. [Would it really count as a mere “excuse” though?]

Amid growing concern about the potential flight of capital and currency out of the country, Ukraine’s requests have been more geared toward economic support, one person familiar with the dialogue tells Fox.

Although the Biden admin has been delivering on $200 million in security assistance allocated in Dec, Ukraine is heavily relying on $600 million in assistance coming through the UK and Baltics, including older-version Stinger portable anti-aircraft missiles and anti-tank Javelin missiles.

The State Department recently approved waivers allowing previously blocked third-party transfers.

The US is also working to prepare for a massive refugee and migrant crisis, one person familiar w/ the planning said. European allies are leading talks on housing and migrant flows, with the assumption Ukrainians would likely flee to neighboring countries & other parts of Europe

Source: Twitter

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